The Paradigms' failings to me are always about an inherently second-class midrange. Top octaves can be tamed with positioning and room treatment, and bottom octave is a function of that plus the size you buy. No quarrel with Paradigm's bang-for-the-buck bottom end, as MDF is essentially free in Canada, and they make good woofers.
I started my search a few years ago with the 20 and 40, and quickly became enamored of better midrange drivers, especially when care in pair-matching is well-performed.
For under $2k the two favorites of mine are the Spendor S3/1p for a warmer spectral tilt (casual listening, lively room, FM and HT...and women!), or the Revel M20 for a more linear, high-rez spectral tilrt that demands better components. At paradigm's price-point they just cannot pair-match and still give you that much bass, and again , their forte is NOT a super-pure midband like Spendor, Harbeth, Revel, and a few others I'm sure other guys will mention. Depends what you want. Rock the house? The Studio 100. Sublime tonal honesty? Look elsewhere....
I started my search a few years ago with the 20 and 40, and quickly became enamored of better midrange drivers, especially when care in pair-matching is well-performed.
For under $2k the two favorites of mine are the Spendor S3/1p for a warmer spectral tilt (casual listening, lively room, FM and HT...and women!), or the Revel M20 for a more linear, high-rez spectral tilrt that demands better components. At paradigm's price-point they just cannot pair-match and still give you that much bass, and again , their forte is NOT a super-pure midband like Spendor, Harbeth, Revel, and a few others I'm sure other guys will mention. Depends what you want. Rock the house? The Studio 100. Sublime tonal honesty? Look elsewhere....